Mister Donut Cafe: The Pon de Ring and the Do-ssant

Truth be told, I haven't been paying much attention to Mister Donut in the past, oh.. kajillion years. I was raised on Dunkin' Donuts, and little by little, we were introduced to new donuts on the scene like Gonuts Donuts and their addictive Pastillas de Leche donuts. Then came the ever-famous and ever-unhealthy Krispy Kreme, followed by Indonesia's innovative J. Co Donuts. What about Mister Donut, then? They've been around since before I was born! They are no stranger to changing things up, because what I associate with them are Michael V and the many, many bavarian donut evolutions they come up with. I actually tried one of the 2-in-1's or something before and didn't like it much. Understandable though, because they focused on lower-cost pastries.

The reborn Mister Donut Cafe.

We were invited to visit Mister Donut in Greenhills and of course, very flattered, we were looking forward to doing so. Honestly, I've only really liked the good chewy chocolate twists of Mister Donut and not much else, so my expectations weren't exactly through the roof, but I was excited to try new food just the same.

Real food?

After rushing around Greenhills only to find out that the Mister Donut Cafe is still at the nice corner it has always been, we were welcomed by a neat, lively interior. I was surprised to see that Mister Donut has.. real food? Pasta, sandwiches, turnovers, and lots of other interesting things. One thing in particular struck my fancy...

Donut Burger,  P120.00
Bacon, P20.00
Egg, P10.00

Behold the Donut Burger! (or Donger? No.. let's stick to Donut Burger.) I know they've had something like this in Mercato before and I never had the luxury of trying it, but Alvie has and she said that this one is so much better. Glad I didn't miss out, then! I was quite impressed with this burger. It doesn't just bank on the fact that it's special. The patty was really quite good and meaty, and I enjoyed the cucumber, cheese and lettuce. The donut isn't too sweet and the sugar just tickles the senses slightly. To make your burger experience more complete, I suggest taking it with bacon and egg, and as you can see in the picture, it is arranged quite well. The bacon was a bit "hammy" but there was a good amount of it and it still adds good variety.

Japanese Crab & Corn Snackwich, P90.00

Before the cronut, let us not forget that there was the croissant. Beyond all the hypedy-hype about the new flaky pastry, I'm still a croissant guy through and through. I can't wait to visit Paris and see croissants sold on the street like pan de sals are here. Haha. So when this was suggested for a light lunch, we were quick to agree. This was pretty much just Kani Salad in a croissant, so if you like both things like we do, you're in for a treat. Alvie did taste the wasabi but my spice-hardened tongue didn't. I would have preferred more wasabi, but that's just me. The croissant was good but could've used a tad bit more flakiness.

Brewed Coffee, P35.00 each

Remember the time our wallets didn't get noticeably lighter after grabbing a small cup of coffee? (I'm looking at you, Starbucks. and I'm looking at you more, Seattle's Best.) This is good brewed coffee for not a bad price at all. I'm no coffee connoisseur, but I quite liked it. I wish they had Splenda for more guilt-free caffeine replenishment. After our "main" meal, we were introduced to a totally new kind of pastry.

From top clock-wise:
White Almonds Pon de Ring, P39.00
Classic Glazed Pon de Ring, P29.00
Pistachio Pon de Ring, P39.00

Introducing the Pon de Ring! This is actually more than just a trend. It's a type of donut famous in Japan and other asian countries which Mister Donut is famous for, and they're bringing it over to the Philippines. Mister Donut has been so successfully assimilated in our local culture that a few years back, I was surprised to find out that it wasn't a homegrown brand at all! Well, the Pon de Ring has been out there for a while and now, we have the pleasure of getting to try it out for ourselves. Having tasted it, I can definitely say it was indeed a pleasure.

Mister Donut Japan's mascot for the Pon de Ring is the very funny-looking Pon de Lion. Image from here.

Also sometimes referred to as the "Mochi Donut", I really enjoyed its texture, which was delightfully chewy and addictive. They come in many different flavors, though I have found that I really enjoyed them all. You see, I'm more a fan of mochi than donuts, so this refreshing new texture is very welcome for me. Price-wise, it is also very fair since mochi can get really pricey, while this ring of 8 mochi-ish balls goes for 29-39 pesos only. Not bad at all! I also find the shape amusing since they remind me of those old red ammunition rings for toy guns (what do you call those again?? haha).

It's also very easy to share since it's basically eight uniformly-sized balls.

Not to be outdone by pretty much every big-time bakery and donut shop out there, they have their own version of the cronut, which they call the Do-ssant. It seems to be doing well already, because it was out of stock when we got there! Sometimes persistence pays off because we dropped by after some shopping around Greenhills and they had a batch ready for us! We took some to go, as well as some Pon de Rings to share at home.

Yummeh!

We tried out them cronu.. I mean.. Do-ssants at home.

Cinnamon, Dark Chocolate, Glazed and Sugar-raised Do-ssants, P65.00 each

I was quite impressed with the Do-ssants. Before even tasting it, I knew they were both the cheapest and the largest cronuts around. This did concern me because maybe the quality was sacrificed?

Perfectly flaky and soft.

The Glazed Do-ssant surprised me. Biting into it was much more enjoyable than I expected. Despite it's size it was delightfully light and it was as flaky as a do-ssant should be. The glaze wasn't overpoweringly sweet. Usually, cronuts are like sandwiches with cream between slices but what sets their do-ssants apart is that there is Bavarian cream injected throughout the whole ring. This ain't no sandwich! I really enjoyed the cream in this do-ssant. I also tried the Dark Chocolate Do-ssants and it was even better. I prefer the dark chocolate topping instead of the plain glaze.

Texture wasn't as good, but I enjoyed the flavor.

We also got to try the Cinnamon and Sugar-raised Do-ssants. For these flavors in particular, there was a noticeable change in texture for me, so they might still be a work-in-progress. It wasn't nearly as flaky and light as the other flavors, but that doesn't mean we didn't enjoy eating these too. I would stick to the other flavors but 65 pesos isn't a bad price at all to take a chance on these ones. They've gotten it right already, so I'm guessing it should just be a matter of time for these to get up to speed.

Verdict:
Donut Burger with Bacon and Egg: Very Good
Japanese Crab & Corn Snackwich: Good
Brewed Coffee: Good
All Featured Pon de Rings: Very Good
Dark Chocolate and Glazed Do-ssants: Very Good
Cinnamon and Sugar-raised Do-ssants: Okay

I was never an avid Mister Donut fan, but the food was so much better than I expected. I am really happy with Mister Donut's new direction with their reimagined Cafes that have great food and great new pastries. The 24-hour Mister Donut Cafe was launched in Greenhills last March 15 (too bad I'm hardly ever there) and new branches will be opened in Megamall (next month!), Trinoma (November!), and Ermita this year. I'm hoping they bring one to the Fort too for fun, affordable, quality food.

Love Mister Donut Cafe? Hate it? Let me know by commenting below, or just tweet me!

P.S. For this post I was pon de ring about using some puns but I decided otherwise because it just seems too easy, do-ssant it?



Other Cronuts:
Wildflour's Cronut: The Doughnut and Croissant's Love Child
Dunkin' Donuts: Crunkin' Cronuts

MISTER DONUT
G/F, Shoppesville, N. Western St. cor. Service Rd.,
Greenhills Shopping Center,
San Juan City, Metro Manila
(02) 570-9773
Operating Hours: 24 Hours
Facebook: Mister Donut
Website: http://www.misterdonut.ph/
Twitter: @MisterDonut_PH


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Movie Review: Kick-Ass 2

Image from here.

We're the good guys.

Following the events of the first movie, the tale of our very realistic superheroes Kick-Ass and Hit-Girl continues here. The fame of Kick-Ass has become widespread and he has become more than just a celebrity, he has become an inspiration. Masked vigilantes are out on the streets delivering justice with different "powers" and different costumes. This also causes more than just cleaner streets though, because it also paved the way for the world's first super-villain, The Mother F*cker (that name just cracks me up), played by Christopher Mintz-Plasse.

Image from here.

As usual and as expected, Hit-Girl steals the whole damn show. In pretty much every way, she kicks Kick-Ass's ass. There is a bigger focus on her this time around with and without the mask, and that's definitely a welcome change. Chloe Grace Moretz truly makes Hit-Girl come alive onscreen. Move over, all other female action heroes! Am I officially allowed to say Chloe Moretz is becoming my Hollywood crush? No? Okay, I'll shut up now.

The movie is a lot of fun and has more than its fair share of interesting main and supporting characters. Everything is on a bigger scale and it's slightly more vicious than the first movie. There is definitely no lack of comedy and there wasn't a boring moment in the film. One of the brilliant aspects of this movie is none other than one of my favourite comedians, Jim Carrey.

Yeah, there's a dog on your balls! Image from here.

The character Colonel Stars and Stripes is a huge departure from the usual zany characters of Carrey because this one is definitely bad-ass. I barely recognized this guy the first time I saw him. He is able to pull off a character that isn't within his normal persona, but is still as entertaining as The Mask, Ace Ventura, and The Riddler. This is definitely a memorable character to add to the long list he has brought to life.

Other Notable Cast:
John Leguizamo as Javier - Luigi!!! Does anyone remember that movie?
Donald Faison as Doctor Gravity - Always great to see Turk from Scrubs.
Iain Glen as Uncle Ralph D'Amico - Ser Bad-ass Jorah Mormont of Game of Thrones.
Lyndsy Fonseca as Katie Deauxma - Ted's daughter shows up again in the sequel.

Verdict: 4.5/5 - It isn't the deepest of movies, but there's something simply awesome about the fun, the humor, the action and the heart of this movie. and yes, Hit-Girl!

Loved Kick-Ass 2? Hated it? Let me know by commenting below, or just tweet me!



The First Movie:
Movie Review: Kick-Ass

Here's the trailer!

Movie Review: Kick-Ass

Image from here.

Why aren't there superheroes in real life? The Dark Knight has already proven that you don't need superpowers to be one. Tony Stark, too. Well, I guess it's obvious we aren't insanely rich, but is that truly the reason they are heroes? It lies deeper than that. It is the desire to do good, the thirst for justice, the courage to stand up for what is right. That is what this story is all about.

Image from here.

Kick-Ass' character is cool (and sometimes lame), but this film truly shines with the simultaneously adorable, deadly and awesome Hit-Girl. I actually wish the movie was Hit-Girl instead! There isn't a dull moment with her on-screen. Also pretty cool is Big Daddy, played by Nicolas Cage. This is actually one of this best characters in recent history. This fits him so well that he shouldn't even think of playing another superhero. Haha. I wish this movie revolved around them instead, but it is still a very good movie with lots of heart.

Other Notable Cast:

Aaron Taylor-Johnson as David Lizewski/Kick-Ass - His geeky, shy, Harry Potter-ish look and demeanor work for the character.

Mark Strong as Frank D'Amico - He also played Sinestro in Green Lantern.

Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Chris D'Amico - McLovin'!!!

Lyndsy Fonseca as Katie Deauxma - You might recognize her as the very bored daughter of Ted from How I Met Your Mother.

Evan Peters as Todd Haynes - He's also the creepy-ass kid from American Horror Story. I find it funny that Peters will play Quicksilver in the upcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past, while Kick-Ass is playing Quicksilver in The Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Verdict: 4/5 - Touching, entertaining, and definitely kick-ass. The colorful characters and plot make this movie very enjoyable and memorable.

Loved Kick-Ass? Hated it? Let me know by commenting below, or just tweet me!



Here's the trailer!

Movie Review: The Conjuring

Image from here.

A lot of hype about this one! The Conjuring is a horror film from the director of the frightening Insidious, so we already have an idea of how terrifying it can be. I've heard from many friends that this is even scarier and I didn't particularly enjoy the Darth Maul scares from the first movie, so I was not looking forward to this. Alvie was though, so fine, I had to man up and face something that would potentially stoke my hyperactive imagination. Haha. This story, based on real events, follows two "ghost hunters" who investigate the home of a very disturbed family.

Image from here.

What I liked about this movie is that it isn't your run-of-the-mill tale about a haunting, rife with jump scares. Well, it has its fair share of that, yes, but it is also more. This movie has much more substance than your usual paranormal activity story, with much better characters and plot. It does that while, staying as creepy and shocking as any other movie in the genre.

Notable Cast:
Vera Farmiga as Lorraine Warren - At first I thought she was Lady Melisandre from Game of Thrones, but she wasn't. She was also a cop in The Departed.
Patrick Wilson as Ed Warren - Also the main character from Insidious, this guy must have a great "scared" face.
Joey King as Christine Perron - Playing one of the Perron daughters, this cute girl looks like a young Rachel Weisz. We may also know her as the kid who climbed out of the well from The Dark Knight Rises. Deshi Deshi Bashara Bashara!

Verdict: 3/5 - Despite coming from a genre I do not enjoy, this is a solid movie to watch, and is worth the nightmares it'll cause you to have.

Loved The Conjuring? Hated it? Let me know by commenting below, or just tweet me!



Here's the trailer!

The Zinger Strikes Back! and Some Other Good Stuff from KFC

What does the Zinger look like these days?

McDonald's recently surprised us with its own spicy chicken fillet sandwich, the McSpicy. It's been making waves and I actually really like it! I've had it five times since it came out, but I really shouldn't forget about the original spicy sandwich. KFC is making sure of that.

80 pesos? That sounds familiar...

That's quite a price drop for everyone's favourite Zinger! I can't help but wonder if it's still the same sandwich we know and love. Only one way to find out, right?

Zinger (a la carte), P80.00

Okay, as expected, it has become noticeably smaller. That's fine, I guess. The taste was still good. It was flavorful and mildly spicy. The fillet had a delicious crunch to it, though some pieces had really thin chicken meat. Does it knock the McSpicy out of the park? Let's get it on!!!

Zinger (defending champion) vs. McSpicy (the challenger)

- Chicken Fillet: McSpicy maintains a consistently thick juicy fillet, while the Zinger's was quite thin. Winner: McSpicy
- Breading: KFC reigns supreme in the fried chicken flavor department. No surprise there! Winner: Zinger
- Spice: I was impressed with the spice of the first McSpicies I had, but the last two I ate had zero spice, shaming the name McSpicy. The Zinger's spice is tame, but reliable. Winner: Zinger
- Bread, Mayo, Lettuce: The bread of each sandwich is visually different but not very distinct for me. They both have too much mayonnaise. Lettuce is where things vary. The Zinger has a few shreds of lettuce on it, while the McSpicy is loaded with bigger, more numerous cuts of lettuce. Well, healthier is better, right? I also enjoy the added crunch. Winner: McSpicy

Decision: It depends on what you value more.
- Alvie puts more importance on the taste, so the Zinger wins for her.
- I choose based on the quality of the fillet, and McSpicy's is very impressive. I choose McSpicy while giving it the benefit of the doubt, by assuming that the next one I eat will not be as devoid of spice as the last ones.
It's a tie!

California Maki Twister (a la carte), P85.00

I was impressed by how KFC marketed the twisters. At one point, they announced there would be eight different flavors in total, and that each flavor would be released one by one. Did that ever get done? Haha. I think this California Maki Twister was like the second one released, but Alvie and I never really moved on. I haven't even tried the interesting Pizza Twister yet. This California-Japanese inspired wrap is sweet, has mayonnaise, mangoes, and yummy fried chicken. If this wasn't this good, I would have mustered enough curiosity to try the other wraps, but alas, it IS that good.

Snack Box (with large soda not in picture), P90.00

A quick fried snack, anyone? A bunch of Hot Shots is always welcome, and KFC has great fries. Medyo bitin lang, but it ain't too bad at all.

Verdict:
Zinger: Very Good
California Maki Twister: Great!
Snack Box: Good

KFC really sets itself apart from other fast food in its variety of great affordable choices. I almost get a headache trying to figure out what I'd like to have when I eat here. Zinger? Awesome Original Recipe Chicken? Twister? Pasta Bowl? Kung Pao Bowl? KFC remains to be my favourite fast food joint. I also love Taco Bell, which only seems to be available at the farthest ends of Metro Manila, and Popeye's, which is gone forever *sniff*.

The Competition:
McDonald's McSpicy: The Next Big Zing

Zinger or McSpicy? Let me know by commenting below, or just tweet me!



Facebook: KFC Philippines
Website: http://www.kfc.com.ph/
Online Delivery: https://kfcdelivery.com.ph/
Twitter: @KFCPhilippines

Linkin Park Living Things World Tour

Ever since I saw Linkin Park's music video for One Step Closer on one of the lesser-known Channel V shows in high school, I've been a fan. Techno-ish Rock and Rap, together, and it sounds awesome? I then immediately bought the CD and found that every song on the entire record blew me away. From Mike's raps to Chester's screams, it completely engaged me. My expectations for the next albums were through the roof, then came the fun but disappointing remix album, Reanimation, and then Meteora, which I didn't like at the time. It was good, but it was difficult to enjoy after the perfect first album. The more mellow Minutes to Midnight came out and I kept an open mind about it. I actually enjoyed it, too. I became a full fan again, fully taking in every song from all three albums. The fourth album, A Thousand Suns, caught me off guard. It was really good. It was heavy, and catchy, and it seemed they were going back to their roots a bit more. This became my second favourite album and raised my expectations again. I guess, though, that you never know what to expect from LP because the latest album, Living Things, is my least favourite of all. It just isn't as catchy as any of the other albums, but I'll wait and see if it grows on me over a longer time. The one great thing about that album is: the world tour! They've visited once before and I missed it! I would not miss it again.

Best buds forever! Don't go back to Fort Minor, Mike! Haha.

The concert was awesome!!! Urbandub opened the show quite nicely with a mix of new and old songs. Their audio was sadly quite muffled, but they got the crowd going enough. Then Linkin Park came on with awesome visual effects. I noticed that the crowd was a lot tamer than I expected all throughout the show. There were but a few who were shouting and headbanging as much as I was, but that's alright. There was a great mix of songs from the albums, and they played most of the ones I wanted to hear. Only a few Living Things songs too! Haha. We also a got a better view than expected because there were so many empty seats in the lower box, that they eventually upgraded everyone from upper box! and by upgrade, I mean let everyone scamper off to lower box to grab any free seats we see. Perfect!!!

Setlist:
Urbandub
1.) Soul Searching
2.) Hover
3.) The Fight is Over
4.) Dim the Headlights
5.) Never Will I Forget
6.) First of Summer

Linkin Park
1.) A Place For My Head
2.) Papercut (Video Below!)
3.) Given Up
4.) New Divide (Video Below!)
5.) With You
6.) Somewhere I Belong
7.) Lies Greed Misery
8.) Points of Authority
9.) Waiting For the End
10.) Breaking the Habit (Video Below!)
11.) Castle of Glass
12.) Medley: Leave Out All The Rest/Shadow of the Day/Iridescent - Awesome arrangement of these songs, started out with just keyboards then the whole band gradually came in. (Video Below! Thanks, Danez!)
13.) Lost In The Echo
14.) Numb (Video Below!)
15.) What I've Done
16.) Burn It Down
17.) In The End
18.) Bleed It Out
Encore:
19.) Faint
20.) Lying From You
21.) One Step Closer

Songs I missed :(
- Crawling
- Pushing Me Away
- Blackout

You know what? SM MOA Arena's upper box seats are hella tight!!!

I really hope they come back. They don't even need a good album to do it! I'd be perfectly happy with a Hybrid Theory/A Thousand Suns setlist. Haha. The band plays great live, and I found out Chester's screams are limitless. I'm so jealous.

Papercut:


New Divide:


Breaking The Habit:

Leave Out All The Rest Medley:

Numb:

Let Me See That Zong

Credits for the title go to the great writing team of Groupon, whose coupon we used to enjoy some good expensive Chinese food for cheaper! That makes this the perfect place for one'o'thems usual Friday lunch outs.

Singapore Style Fish Fillet, P438.00

Good, sweet fish fillet that is not out of the ordinary.

Chicken in Salted Egg Yolk, P438.00

I love everything breaded in salted egg, and this was no exception. It had an addictive, wonderful taste. My only problem with it is that it was too bony. The cut of chicken could have been a lot better even with just normal drumsticks. If you think about it though, this dish is quite cruel. Not only do we eat the chickens, but we coat them in their unborn babies before doing so. Haha.

Pork Ribs Salt & Pepper, P368.00

A classic, very straightforward dish. It was good, but nothing spectacular and a bit boring.

Hot Pot of Eggplant, P318.00

Flavorful, rich sauce with ground pork and eggplant. I'm not super fond of eggplant and ground pork, but this mildly spicy dish pulls it off well. It goes great with fried rice!

Yang Chow Fried Rice, P288.00

Pretty average as far as yang chow goes. It's not much on its own, but it complements the dishes nicely.

Fujian Fried Rice, P288.00

There's rice in there somewhere. This has a nice taste that isn't overpowering, so it can still be enjoyed with your main dishes. There is a similar thing in North Park called Fookien Fried Rice, but this is so much better.

Mango Sago Cream, P128.00 (Pictured is only a half order)

Alvie and I split ours, so the bowl would usually be full. This is one I really like because its creamier than usual, and creamier is always better for me. Haha. If anything, I would wish it was served colder, but it's really good as is.

Menu:
Dim-sum, Zong Favorites
Catch of the Day, Zong Classics
Soups and Noodles, Rice, Desserts, Drinks

Verdict:
Singapore Style Fish Fillet: Good
Chicken in Salted Egg Yolk: Good
Pork Ribs Salt & Pepper: Okay
Hot Pot of Eggplant: Okay
Yang Chow Fried Rice: Okay
Fujian Fried Rice: Good
Mango Sago Cream: Very Good

Zong has always been a reliable, slightly expensive source of Chinese food in the ever convenient Fort Strip. It's a shame we weren't able to blog about our second visit, which had much better food! We suggest getting the Prawn Salad, Lemon Chicken, Sweet and Sour Pork (with peaches!), Salt and Pepper Squid, and Mapo Tofu!

Love Zong? Hate it? Let me know by commenting below, or just tweet me!



Other Restaurants in The Fort Strip:
Good Earth Roasts (GER)
Kasbah: A Moroccan Lunch
Órale!: The Best Quesadillas
The Best Pasta of Pasto
Racks: My Favourite Ribs
Sunshine Kitchen: Second Dawn
Tapeo: Spanish Surprise at the Fort Strip
The Cheese Steak Shop: Philly Cheese Steaks in the Phillyppines

Other Restaurants in The Fort:
Gyu-Kaku: The Time is Ripe to Grill Some Tripe
IHOP: The Latest Pancake Craze
Jollibee: Ultimate Burger Steak and Flip Float
Pancake House: Cookie Butter Pancakes Surprise
SM Aura Premier: Pepper Lunch Express under the Sky Park
Red Garlic Bistro: Trotting the Globe, Clove by Clove
S&R: My Favourite Pizza
Saboten: Enjoyin' Some Loin
Saint's Alp: Taiwanese Chicken Goodness
Sbarro: Rolling in the Deep Dish
Seattle's Best: Sea Salt and Salad
Stacy's: The Sweet Kind of Retro
Stella Wood Fired Bistro: Nothing Less Than Stellar
Toast Box: Going Goreng
Tokyo Tokyo: Burgers and Chopsticks
The Kebab Factory: The TKF Trilogy
Uncle Cheffy: A Piece 'a Panizza
Wildflour's Cronut: The Doughnut and Croissant's Love Child
Wrong Ramen: The Weirder, The Better
Yabu: Bed of Rosus

ZONG
G/F The Fort Strip,
7th Ave. cor. 26th St., Taguig City
(02) 889-0472 or 79
Operating Hours:
11:00AM - 3:00PM
6:00PM - 11:00PM



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